Multiple board, easel and table combination



Oct. 22, 1963 H. LEVINE 3,107,442

MULTIPLE BOARD, EASEL AND TABLE COMBINATION Filed Dec. 26, 1961 INVENTOR l HARRY LEVINE WJM;

ATTO RNEY United States Patent O 3,107,442 MULTIPLE BOARD, EASEL AND TABLE COMBINATION Harry Levine, 58 E. 196th St., Bronx 68, NY. Filed Dec. 26, 1961, Ser. No. 161,956 8 Claims. (Cl. 35--63) This invention relates to educational and play appliances in general and particularly to a combination blackboard, easel and table which may be used in this connection.

An important object of the invention is to provide a combination blackboard, easel and table which is so designed that it may be conveniently and comfortably employed by persons of various ages as a multiple play board.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a combination blackboard, easel and table designed to 'afiord maximum stability when in use either as a blackboard, easel or table.

A further object of the invention is to provide a combination blackboard, easel and table which is light in weight and which may be easily moved from one place to another.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a combination blackboard, easel and table embodying novel and improved means for locking the blackboard in any desired position, including the horizontal, so that the blackboard may serve as a table.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a disassemblable supporting framestructure for the above combination, which may be quickly and easily assembled and disassembled, without the use of special tools.

Another object of theinven-tion is to provide such a device in which the blackboard comprises two surfaces of different colors. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide a blackboard, easel and folding seat combination.

Another object of the invention is to provide a blackboard, easel and table combination which may be collapsed for compact storage or shipping in containers of size, thereby effecting substantial savings in this connection.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a combination blackboard, easel and table which are simple to manufacture.

These and other important objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawing, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention.

-It should be understood, however, that these are given by way of illustration and not of limitation, and that various changes in the details, form and arrangement of the parts may be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the device including a foldable seat, illustrating various positions of the board;

FIG. 2 illustrates the device in disassembled conditions but without the seat of FIG. 1, for the sake of clarity;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail view taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1, of the means for locking the board in a desired position; and

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-section taken on line 4-4 of PEG. 2.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the device according to the invention comprises a disassemblable frame 6, supported on diverging pairs of adjustable legs 8. 'Pivotably mounted on frame 6 is a board 10, preferably of a plastic composition material suitable for writing with chalk, one side of which is black and the other green, although any other desired colors may be employed. One or both sides of the board may be alternately made of cork, in which case such sides may serve as bulletin boards to which notices, etc. may be secured with thumbtacks or pins. Similarly one or both sides of the board may be made of a ferrous material and magnets may be provided, with which memo pads, notes, alphabets, numerals, and the like may be attached. A perforated pegboard may likewise be employed and suitable pegs provided for hanging various articles thereon, such as keys, compasses, merchandise and the like. Furthermore one or both sides of the board may be divided into sections consisting of any two above-described dis similar materials. The board is set into an extruded aluminimum or metal or wood frame 17 and a chalk rail 14.

If desired, pencil boxes, inkwel'ls, pencil holders and the like, can be inserted or attached to the board, ifit is desired to use it as a table.

As shown in FIG. 2, frame 6 consists of a pair of spaced tubular side members or stands 16,'16a, a bottom U-shaped tubular runner 18, and a top U-shaped tubular runner 20, the ends of which terminate in hollow portions 22, 22a and 24, 24a respectively adapted to receive reduced ends 2 6, 26a and 23, 28a of the tubular members v16, 16a. The adjustable leg pairs 8 comprise angularly shaped tubular sections 30, 30a and 3-2, 32a formed with semi-cylindrical end portions 34, 34a and 36, 36a provided with a number of spaced holes such as 38, 38a, any pair of which may be brought into alignment with any pair of holes such as 40, 4th: so that the leg pairs may be secured to by means of bolts 42 to the bottom runner 18. There is further provided -a tubular chalk rail 44 formed with flattened end portions adapted for insertion into elongated slots 50, 52, respectively, of the rails 16, 1611. A chalk tray 54 is centrally secured to chalk rail 44. I

The frame may be also constructed of hollow square, octagonal or other cross-section material, if desired.

Secured to the side portion 56 of the frame 12 of the board by fastening means 58, 58a is a circular flange 60, provided with peripherally spaced holes 62, any of which are adapted to receive the end 64 of a lock pin 66. This pin, which extends through aligned holes 63, 68a in side member 16a is formed with an enlarged portion 70 and provided with a flange 72. An expansion spring 74 is interposed between flange 72 and the inbent portion 76, so that the spring normally urges pin end 64 into ongagement with any of the desired holes 64. Although only one look pin and flange have been shown in the present embodiment, it will be appreciated that these can be duplicated on the opposite side member and side frame portion of the boards 10 to provide even more rigidity to the board in any position as it is pivoted by means of integrally secured pivot rods 78 in pivot rod seats 80. Thus, as shown in FIG. 1, the board may be secured in the position A for writing or other purposes, 7

in position B as an inclined easel and in a horizontal position C, to serve as a table.

A rod or wire 82 may further be provided in the top U-member 20 and this may serve for hanging any of a number of articles. 7

'To assemble the device, the adjustable legs 30, 30a and 32, 32a are secured to the bottom runner 18, by means of bolts 42. The bottom ends of the two side members 16, 16a are next slipped over the reduced end portions 22, 22a of the bottom runner 18, respectively. The chalk rail ends 46, 48 are inserted into slots 50, 52. Pivot rods 78 are lodged in seats 80 of the side members, while pin 66 is held in the retracted position shown in dotted lines in P16. 3. The reduced ends of 24, 24a of top runner 20 are inserted into the upper portions 28,

28a of the side members, thus completing the assembly of frame 6. The board is next set into any of .the desired positions A, B or C or positions intermediate of these and the pin 66 released so that spring 76 acting on flange 72 will force pin end 64 into one of the holes 62, thus securing the board in the desired position.

The multiple board according to the invention may be made in any desired sizes, for adults or children. When made for children, the adjustable leg feature is particularly useful, since the boards height may be adjusted as the child grows.

The board may be further provided with a folding seat 82, adjustably pivotable to brackets 84 at any of the holes 86 so that it may be set at a desired distance from the board. The seat may be provided with a folding support 83 pivotable to the seat at 90.

I claim:

1. A multiple board, easel and table combination, comprising a disassemblable frame including a pair of vertical spaced members having upper and lower reduced end portions; a pair of upper and lower U-shaped braces having hollow end portions for receiving said upper and lower reduced end portions respectively, the legs of said lower brace having a plurality of spaced bores extending therethrough; two pairs of diverging support members formed with vertical portions adapted to mate with opposite surfaces of the leg portions of said lower brace, said vertical portions having a plurality of holes alignable with a predetermined one of said bores; fastening means adapted to extend through said holes and said bores for securing said support members to said lower brace at a desired height; a board pivotable in said frame, pivot means for said board and means for locking the board in a desired position relative to said frame.

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said vertical spaced members are provided with pivot retraining seats, pivot rods secured to opposite sides of said board and received in said seats, said seats and said rods constituting said pivot means, a circular disk secured to one edge portion of said board adjacent one of said members and one of said pivot rods, transversely to said rods axis,

said flange having peripherally disposed spaced holes, a retractable locking pin extending through said one member and having a flange portion, a coil spring interposed between said one member and said flanged portion, said pin being normally urged into engagement with one of said holes.

3. The combination according to claim 1, further provided with a foldable adjustable walk-in seat and a crossrail secured between said vertical members for attaching said seat, said seat comprising a seat pad, a substantial rectangular seat pad supporting frame, one of the longer sides of which frame is provided with an entrance opening to permit the mounting of the seat without straddling the latter, said seat pad extending between said opening and one of the shorter sides of said frame.

4. The combination according to claim 3, wherein the longer sides of said frame are provided with a plurality of aligned bores and said fastening means for selectively engaging said aligned bores with said rail.

5. The combination according to claim 4, wherein said board is provided wtih at least one side of ferrous material adapted to hold magnetic memo fasteners thereon.

6. T he combination according to claim 5, wherein said frame and said support are of tubular cross-section.

7. The combination according to claim 6, wherein said board is provided with a chalk retaining shelf.

8. The combination according to claim 7, wherein said cross-rail is provided with an easel for an erasing pad.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 484,338 Powell Oct. 11, 1892 1,026,809 Kraus May 21, 1912 1,877,669 Kitze Sept. 13, 1932 2,300,248 Elnett Oct. 27, 1942 2,654,427 Vicci Oct. 6, 1953 2,691,203 Wilder Oct. 12, 1954 2,726,460 Jecmen Dec. 13, 1955 2,730,323 Muntwyler Jan. 10, 1956 2,896,789 Sans et a1. July 28, 1959 2,951,299 Fisco Sept. 6, 1960 

1. A MULTIPLE BOARD, EASEL AND TABLE COMBINATION, COMPRISING A DISASSEMBLABLE FRAME INCLUDING A PAIR OF VERTICAL SPACED MEMBERS HAVING UPPER AND LOWER REDUCED END PORTIONS; A PAIR OF UPPER AND LOWER U-SHAPED BRACES HAVING HOLLOW END PORTIONS FOR RECEIVING SAID UPPER AND LOWER REDUCED END PORTIONS RESPECTIVELY, THE LEGS OF SAID LOWER BRACE HAVING A PLURALITY OF SPACED BORES EXTENDING THERETHROUGH; TWO PAIRS OF DIVERGING SUPPORT MEMBERS FORMED WITH VERTICAL PORTIONS ADAPTED TO MATE WITH OPPOSITE SURFACES OF THE LEG PORTIONS OF SAID LOWER BRACE, SAID VERTICAL PORTIONS HAVING A PLURALITY OF HOLES ALIGNABLE WITH A PREDETERMINED ONE OF SAID BORES; FASTENING MEANS ADAPTED TO EXTEND THROUGH SAID HOLES AND SAID BORES FOR SECURING SAID SUPPORT MEMBERS TO SAID LOWER BRACE AT A DESIRED HEIGHT; A BOARD PIVOTABLE IN SAID FRAME, 